The invention is generally related to methods for locating precision mechanisms and, specifically, the invention relates to the location of precision robotic base components in a robotic base compartment wherein the precision of the assembly will be maintained after disassembly and reassembly steps.
It is well-known in machine arts to mount certain machine components such as gears, bearings, cams and the like on a plate which is separable from the main machine housing, to facilitate ease of machining and assembly. It is also well-known to those skilled in machine assembly practice that once certain components are aligned with one another to maintain center distances, etc., a sub-assembly plate may be pinned in position with the main machine housing by in-line-reaming a hole to size, through both members and pressing in a straight dowel pin, or tapered pin in some instances. Thereafter, upon disassembly and reassembly, the pin members may be pressed back into the same alignment holes to reestablish the precision of the assembly.
Several problems are inherent in the prior art assembly method, namely: the drilling and reaming of the pin holes causes chips and other machining swarf to be formed within the machine housing; and, since final assembly reaming is most often manually done, the pin holes may tend to have less accuracy of squareness with the mounting surface than those which can be machined by a machine tool, and non-parallel pins may make disassembly difficult.
External mounting surfaces do not present a chip contamination problem, but in the case of a precision robotic base having a compartment in which mechanism assembly must be performed, it is imperative to keep the compartment clean and free of metal dust and chips.
Applicant has obviated the difficulties inherent in the prior art devices and methods, by providing a robotic base compartment with a surface for mounting an apertured plate which carries robotic components, wherein the plate aperture may be grossly positioned over a keying member affixed to the base compartment, and the final adjustment of the assembly performed. After the adjustment of the center distances, etc., a moldable compound is poured in the clearance between the plate aperture and the keying element. Thereafter, the components may be separated and reassembled without the loss of precision and without causing the formation of metal dust and particulant contamination to foul the assembly.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of assembly which does not require manual machining within a robotic base compartment.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a base component assembly method in a robotic base compartment, which will maintain the accuracy of the assembly for repeated disassembly and reassembly of the units.